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With a scheduled client call ahead of her, Marisa Murgatroyd
raced on a scooter through the streets of Ubud, Bali, toward an
internet cafe that usually has a good connection. She arrived to
find that a stray cat had fallen on the line, knocking out Wi-Fi.
She missed her client call. Soon after, Murgatroyd returned to
Los Angeles to deal with late taxes and a lapsed car
registration.

Occasional stumbles aside, the founder of branding and internet
marketing agency Live Your Message has operated without a
permanent address since October 2012--and has managed to triple
her annual revenue to mid-six figures, while living the dream of
nonstop travel.

"It's an amazing sense of freedom to wake up when I want to,
where I want to and do the work I want to," says Murgatroyd, who
travels with her husband and business partner, Murray Gray. "Yes,
we work harder and often longer hours than people who clock in
and out. But we do it on our terms, and that makes all the
difference."

Running your own business while traveling full time? It's a
cubicle-dweller's fantasy. But experts and expats say that if
anyone can make it on the road, it's entrepreneurs--perhaps not
owners of brick-and-mortar establishments, but certainly those
with tech companies, media production firms, service providers or
accounting businesses.

The most successful working nomads are independent and stimulated
by new surroundings; most important, they have "a strong method
for personal organization," says New York-based psychotherapist
Pamela Garber.

A military-worthy command of systems enables Meg McAllister to
operate her firm, McAllister Communications, no matter where she
may roam throughout the U.S., U.K. and Canada. She subscribes to
mobile internet services, rents mailboxes and has a phone
service, RingCentral, that converts voice mail and faxes to
e-mail.

"Indie consultants worry that they'll seem small-time to a client
if they don't have all the trappings a larger company does,"
McAllister says. "I prefer to present it as a plus to clients.
The more overhead I have, the higher my fees need to be to cover
them. At the end of the day, my clients don't care where I get
the job done, just that I get the job done."

But you may need virtual blinders to stay focused while living on
the beach, in the mountains or in some other exotic locale. "You
have to learn to develop self-motivation and consistent
scheduling habits," says Jimmy Hayes, who moved to Vietnam to
produce his travel-gear line, Minaal. "Otherwise it's too easy to
get distracted by the fun outside your door."

Some of the best locations for corporate relocation, such as
Singapore and Hong Kong, are also the costliest. With their own
money on the line, entrepreneurs favor budget-friendly
destinations.

Dan Prescher lives in Ecuador and works as an editor for
International Living, a publication that caters to expats. "The
difference in overhead between the U.S. and here is enormous," he
says. In addition to affordable property, "when you factor in
utilities, taxes, healthcare and car insurance, you can live for
half or less in some places in Latin America."

Besides low cost of living, one requirement trumps them all:
dependable internet access. Here are five countries that have
these and more.

Colombia Many South American countries earn
raves for low cost of living, but Colombia stands out for its
proximity to North America, government promotion of technology
and physical beauty. The country, says Bogot?-based expat Brian
Reale, CEO of software business Colosa, "has a great combination
of nature and fascinating cities to explore."

Malaysia More expensive than other Southeast
Asian countries, Malaysia makes up for it with flexible visas and
numerous English speakers. While the capital, Kuala Lumpur, is
"probably not the palm-tree-filled paradise many traveling
entrepreneurs imagine, Malaysia has a wealth of beautiful spots
that can be an ideal place to work on an online business,
including my favorite spot, the Perhentian Islands," says
Michelle Stansbury, who traveled for three-plus years while
launching InnerBeauty Vitamin.

Mexico Avoid the U.S. border--the frontline for
drug trafficking--and Mexico offers a warm culture, easy
back-and-forth travel and bang for the buck. Expats prefer
handsome colonial cities such as San Miguel de Allende and
M?rida.

Thailand The language barrier is assuaged by the
existence of large expat communities, particularly in Chiang Mai.
Low cost of living is highlighted by affordable healthcare. "I've
actually had surgery there, and I wait to get my checkups every
year in Thailand, since it's a much more pleasant experience,"
says internet marketer Marisa Murgatroyd.

U.S. Want nomadic life while maintaining
proximity to clients and family? Many 'treps swear by the great
American road trip. For four years, Amy Burkert has run her
website, GoPetFriendly.com, from a Winnebago View alongside
husband Rod, who has a valuation consultancy. "Our businesses are
thriving," she says, "and we're having a lot of fun and seeing
the country."